Student Spotlights – December 2024

Take Stock in Children of Escambia County welcomed 40 new scholars at the annual Take Stock Kickoff Dinner. There are now 166 students in grades 7-12 in this program for college scholarships. Take Stock in Children is a statewide non-profit organization operating locally under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. Take Stock provides “scholarships, mentors & hope” to deserving young people selected at the end of their 6th or 7th grade year through a need-based application process.
Scholarship donations from local foundations, organizations, businesses, and individuals are matched dollar-for-dollar when scholarships are purchased from Florida Prepaid College Foundation each year and are held until students graduate from high school.
The new students were selected from the following schools:
Bailey Middle – Catalia Molina, Emma Willits
Bellview Middle – Daniel Finley
Beulah Middle – Crystal Gutierrez, Azaleah Ramos
Brown Barge Middle – Jade Bardoo, Ameria Jordan, Faith Lawson, Janiyah Roberson
Dixon School of Art & Science – Helen Cummings, Naomi Cummings, Amaya Hooper, Zalayvia Jones
Ernest Ward Middle – Amanuel Dubose Jr., Logan McClurg, Nevaeh Tidd
Ferry Pass Middle – Jordan Bain, Thomas Bain, Harmony Farrington, William Jemison, Sophia Palmer, Sariyah Washington
Florida Virtual School – Kydriah Badilishamwalimu
Montessori School – Reed Erb
Ransom Middle – Kaylynn Grzejka, Desiree Hicks, Abbie Huynh, Khale Moorer
Warrington Prep – Billy Dorsey, Dumarian Hawkins, Logan Kerr, Christian Rivera Jr., Tevin Robinson, James Smith, Arhianna Watts-Riley, Ja’Nae White
Workman Middle – Journey English, Harmoni Epps, Mahayla Epps, Trinity Marvray

On October 31st, 2024, Oakcrest Elementary School participated in a STEM Day where teachers planned integrated lessons encompassing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in the form of engineering design activities. Students participated in these activities throughout the day and were engaged in real-world problem-solving, fostering their application of scientific and mathematical principles, the engineering process, and current technologies.
In addition, STEM Day activities also involved community partnerships with organizations such as FPL (the local electricity provider), Bobcat (a heavy equipment manufacturer), and the Fire and Rescue department. These partners provided interactive presentations to teach students about various STEM-related careers. These community collaborations helped broaden students’ perspectives on the diverse career paths available within STEM fields.
One of the key goals of STEM education is to bridge the gap between the traditionally isolated subjects and provide learners with a more integrated learning experience. In this way, students can better understand the cross-cutting concepts and practical applications of STEM disciplines, which can help address the common issue of students becoming disinterested when learning these subjects in isolation.
Through these engaging and relevant learning experiences, we hope to inspire our students’ curiosity and passion for STEM fields, better preparing them for future academic and career pursuits.

On Friday, November 1, 2024, Creative Learning Academy’s eighth-grade students had a front-row seat to democracy in action at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. These students attended Pensacola’s final Naturalization Ceremony of the year, where 39 individuals from diverse backgrounds took their Oath of Allegiance and officially became American citizens.
The ceremony was more than just a spectator event for our competent young learners. Mahalla Berhan and Koto Meece both delivered heartfelt speeches about their ideas of exactly what it means to be an American. Their classmates also played a crucial role by leading the Pledge of Allegiance for all attendees. In a touching gesture, the students presented gifts to the youngest and “wisest” (oldest) new citizens, symbolizing the wide range of ages embracing their new nationality.
The experience didn’t end with the ceremony. The students had a unique opportunity to meet with Federal Judges Miles Davis and Clifton Drake. During this special meet and greet, the learners asked questions about life as a judge and gained insights into the naturalization process. This firsthand look at the journey to U.S. citizenship left a lasting impression on the students, helping them understand the dedication and effort required to become an American citizen. It’s clear that this field trip went beyond textbook learning, offering CLA students a real-world Middle School civics lesson they won’t soon forget.

Escambia Children’s Trust commits to funding on-site health services at 6 schools. O.J. Semmes Elementary and Global Learning Academy will be the first of six schools to participate in the Escambia Children’s Trust Healthy Schools Initiative. The national Healthy Schools Initiative/Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child program is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and is a framework for addressing health in schools. On-site medical, dental and eye services; social service support; nutrition and health education; mental health services; community, school and family engagement opportunities; on-site after school physical and academic support programs; and mentoring are among the services available at schools as part of the initiative.

The Montessori School of Pensacola volleyball team made school history this season, with both teams reaching the Catholic Youth Sports League (CYSL) finals. Our 6th-8th grade girls won their semifinals game, finishing the season 10-1, while our 4th-5th grade team won their finals game with an undefeated record of 10-0! At MSP, students learn to compete with respect and grace, valuing the experience of the game just as much as the thrill of victory. Congratulations to our incredible athletes.

After Fall Break, our Aletheia Christian high school students and teachers returned to a brand new building! Both were so excited to be back on our main campus and to have such beautiful new classrooms to learn and instruct in. This new building has six classrooms, work spaces for teachers, and, of course, restrooms. This was a big moment in Aletheia history as we continue to grow.

Pensacola’s Emma Meyers posted a top-10 finish in the triathlon at the 2024 Paris Paralympics on Monday. Emma Meyers who is the youngest member of the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team was the top American finisher in the PTS4 triathlon. Meyers, who just graduated from Booker T. Washington this past spring, is set to compete for the NCAA Triathlon team at Colorado Mesa University, where she is the first para-athlete to sign with an NCAA triathlon team.

On Halloween Day, Senior members of the Pensacola Catholic High School Student Ambassadors and Student Council, who were dressed in costumes, visited with students at Oakcrest Elementary School and Global Learning Academy to brighten their day and read stories. Oakcrest Elementary School and Global Learning Academy are both Partners in Education schools that CHS collaborates with throughout the year. The CHS students always look forward to interacting with the younger students from these schools, and I think the feeling is mutual.

Three students from Pensacola High School and one from Booker T. Washington High School were named semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Escambia County semifinalists:
Pensacola Catholic High School: Emma Thompson
Pensacola High School: Annabelle A. Apel, Charles B. Benson, and Isabelle R. Jenkins.
Washington High School: Sophie B. Thompson
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.

October’s School Choice Expo was a huge success. Hundreds of families packed the gym, atrium, and cafeteria at Booker T. Washington High School and were dazzled by the vast array of academies and programs available at our middle and high schools. A very special thank you to our host school and to all of those who contributed to making this such a successful event.

Pensacola Catholic High School has added a Woodworking class to their elective course offerings. The Woodworking I course currently accommodates 30 students during two class periods of 15 students each and is led by Mr. Jacob Reilly, who also teaches Literature and Religion. Two gracious volunteers, Dr. Jacque LeBeau and Dr. Gerry Goyins, who are both CHS Past Parents, also assist with the hands-on components. In the class, students are learning basic woodworking skills and knowledge including planning and design, selection and identification of materials, woodshop safety, use of hand power tools, and the production of woodworking projects. Pictured are students proudly displaying one of their first completed projects, cutting/cheese boards.

On Friday, October 18, Booker T. Washington High School held their #WhyIWrite event at the BTWHS library. This event is organized by the Advanced Placement English/Language Arts teachers (Juanita Bordelon, Mary Kate Griffith) and the School Media Specialist. This is a national event that BTWHS celebrates every year. The AP ELA students have set up booths that showcase all of the reasons why writing is important and pertinent to everyday life.
All 9th and 10th grade students attend the event and experience fun writing activities ranging from black out poetry to rap battles. It is fun to see the students engaged and interacting with their peers. The students are given a passport, and they get their passport stamped at each booth they visit. The #WhyIWrite booths incorporate topics such as To Dream, To Describe, To Make Money, To Inform, To Laugh, To Share, To Express, To Remember, To Create, To Debate, To Rhyme, To Thank, To Review, and more. There are at least two activities for the students to do at each of these stations. There is also an MC and stage where students have an opportunity to perform some of their creations–rap, poetry, jokes, etc.

Science Saturdays have returned for this school year with free enrichment classes in Pensacola.
Science Saturdays is a hands-on science program for kids in grades 3-7. Events take place on Saturday morning, monthly during the school year. Grades 3 and 4 attend from 9 to 10:30 a.m., and grades 5-7 attend from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An IHMC researcher or a community scientist leads each session. Past activities have included such topics as roller coasters, genomics, lemon batteries, secret codes, bridges, computer game design, 3-D printing, and hacking for good guys.
Science is fun and so are Science Saturdays. Registration begins two weeks prior to each session
The 90-minute educational sessions are a big part of the community outreach by the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Please visit https://www.ihmc.us/life/science_saturdays/ for more information.

Aletheia Christian hosted its first ever Family Movie Night under the stars last month. Families brought chairs and blankets and enjoyed watching The Peanuts Movie on the big screen. Student Leadership students sold yummy concessions like popcorn and cotton candy, families played lawn games together, and enjoyed being together as a school community.

C.A. Weis Elementary School has been named the “Community Partnership School of the Year” in recognition of its outstanding achievements through the Community Partnership Schools™ (CPS) model. The designation honors C.A. Weis for its commitment to advancing student success, family engagement, and community health since becoming the first elementary school in Florida to implement this pioneering model nearly nine years ago.
The CPS model was initiated in partnership with Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), the University of Central Florida, and key community organizations to address educational and social challenges in underserved areas. Each Community Partnership School benefits from a 25-year agreement and collaboration among four core partners: a lead nonprofit agency (CHS, which leads over 30 of Florida’s 40 CPS programs), the local school district (Escambia County), a secondary education partner (University of West Florida), and a healthcare provider (Community Health Northwest Florida).
The award underscores the effectiveness of the Community Partnership Schools™ model as a catalyst for holistic student development and stronger, healthier communities across Florida.
Locally, CHS provides Community Partnership School programming with the same core partners at Bellview Middle School and Pine Forest High School, completing a feeder pattern for the students in our community from kindergarten through high school graduation.

PHS is proud to announce two seniors have been announced as finalists for a Quest Bridge scholarship – Alex Kinney and Michael Combs. This scholarship awards students, who exhibit outstanding academic achievement and qualify financially, a 4-year scholarship to attend some of the top universities in the U.S. In 2024, there were over 25,000 applications and only 7, 288 Finalists were selected.

The East Coast Technical Assistance Center has recognized five ECPS schools as “Rising Stars.”
The East Coast Technical Assistance Center (ECTAC) is a non-profit Florida network that provides training, advocacy, and professional networking opportunities in support of the development and implementation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) programs, like Title I, Part A, for our fifty-four member school districts across the state of Florida.
The Exceeding Expectations Project, an ECTAC initiative that began in 2012, identifies “Award Schools” with high concentrations of poverty that are showing outstanding results: both achievement and progress in improving academics through strategic problem solving, capacity building, and the implementation of sustainable systems.
For the first time, during the 2025 Exceeding Expectation Conference, ECTAC will also recognize “Rising Stars” schools that are above the 2024 state poverty average of 71.6% and increased two letter grades from 2023 to 2024. While these schools did not achieve all of the required criteria to be named an “Award School”, we want to acknowledge their outstanding school grade accomplishment.
The following ECPS schools have been identified as eligible “Rising Stars”.
Bellview Elementary School
Global Learning Academy
L. D. Mcarthur Elementary School
Reinhardt Holm Elementary School
Warrington Elementary School
“We are so proud of the hard work going on in all of our schools, and this recognition validates our commitment to better outcomes for all of our students,” said Superintendent Keith Leonard. Rising Star Principals will be invited to participate in a facilitated Panel discussion during one or more concurrent sessions at the Exceeding Expectations Conference

One of Aletheia Christian’s most beloved traditions brings together seniors and kindergartners for a year-long journey of friendship and fun. They read, play, and build bonds with one other throughout the school year. Last month, these seniors and their kindergarten buddies spent some time playing games together outside. They had a ball.

The Pensacola Catholic High School Quiz-Sader Team, moderated by History Teacher, Mr. Leo Bowersox, competed in the Escambia County Fall Scrimmage on Thursday, October 17. In this first competition of the season, they went 4-0 beating Escambia, Tate, Milton, and Pensacola High Schools. They have two more scrimmages scheduled in November and December and are working hard to qualify for the national tournament. Way to go Quiz-Saders. Pictured: Mr. Bowersox, Henry Bowersox, Bobby Pennebaker, Alastair Casler, Cov Thomson, and Viv Cserep. Not pictured: Max Hubmann and Brody Ryan.